India await update on Prithvi Shaw’s fitness to name ODI and Test squads for New Zealand tour

India’s tour of New Zealand is set to commence after the Men in Blue’s home ODIs versus Australia. For the upcoming series, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already named the T20I squad, captained by Virat Kohli. But the squads for the ODI and Test teams for the same tour are yet to be put forth. The reason behind the same is young sensation Prithvi Shaw.

Shaw was expected to make his comeback during India A’s two practice games of the New Zealand tour. However, the Mumbai cricketer sustained a shoulder injury while playing in the ongoing edition of the Ranji Trophy. Shaw had hurt his left shoulder while trying to save an overthrow in the match versus Karnataka at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.

As reported by Mumbai Mirror, the national selectors are now waiting for an update on Shaw’s fitness. The selectors wish to see if he will be available for the Test series. The Tests will get underway on Friday, February 21 at the Basin Reserve in Hamilton. The second Test is scheduled to be played at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, starting Saturday, February 29.

It’s also been learned that the announcement will be made on January 19, a day when India will play the third and final ODI against the Aussies. On the New Zealand tour, India will play three ODIs in Mount Maunganui and Auckland from February 5 to 11. As far as Shaw is concerned, he was in jaw-dropping form in the three matches he played in the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy.

Prithvi Shaw’s topsy-turvy run

In the first match against Baroda in Vadodara, he churned out scores of 202 and 66 that helped his side win by 309 runs. Prior to that, he heaped on runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy. It was the tournament that marked his comeback after he was suspended for ingesting Terbutaline.

Shaw hasn’t played international cricket after he injured his ankle during India’s tour of Australia in December 2018. He made his debut during India’s Tests versus the West Indies in October 2018. In that series, he scored a century on debut, but has faced a tough time ever since.